In addition, the summit sought to have on board more partner nations to make up for the capability deficiency resulting from member nations' refusal to engage in operations, as was the case in Libya.

US President Barack Obama on Monday afternoon hailed the role of partners as critical to NATO's operations after representatives of 13 partners engaged in the Afghan mission joined NATO leaders in Chicago.

At a news conference, the president even talked about the role partners could play in helping thwart terrorist threats in Yemen, Somalia and Mali, pointing to their "more effective intelligence operations, more diplomatic contacts."

Building on a transition plan agreed on at their Lisbon summit, NATO leaders finalized details in Chicago of the exit strategy from Afghanistan, foreseeing a change to a support role from the current combat mission by mid-2013 for NATO forces and the withdrawal of most NATO combat forces by the end of 2017, when Afghan forces are expected to take over the security lead across the country.

Though the Afghan war has entered its 11th year, the Taliban-led insurgency still has the ability to launch coordinated attacks in the most heavily fortified part of Kabul, Afghanistan's capital, and NATO's rushed exit will not contribute to a stable and peaceful Afghanistan.

However, the military alliance can no longer afford a prolonged war in Afghanistan, both financially and politically, if not morally.

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